The Rendering Pit - Book 2, Finale (Patreon)

Written by Rabidbadger, and as always, we appreciate your support <3

- - - 

  Nathan was panting by the time he arrived in the entrance hall, though that wasn’t a bad sign. He’d rushed there and hadn’t had to stop – being a bit overheated and out of breath upon arrival with a body as massive as his was just a testament to how well the mechanical and chemical support systems his body now housed were working. It was the only reason he stumbled into the hall just before things were starting, rather than after – the reason he saw Genevieve waiting expectantly, her flat nose twitching a little as she waved him over to her side at the end of a small line of instructors. 

Taking a couple of breaths before he stepped out, Nathan tried to keep the waddle of his gait to a minimum as he moved into view. It wasn’t the easiest of tasks, and he wasn’t really sure he was having any success, particularly when his momentum (something he was still getting used to with a body generating so much inertia) carried his hips right into Genevieve’s and set a gentle waver off in the whole side of the line.

“Oof… slow down blue-bottom. Glad you made it. You good?”

One more heavy breath later, Nathan nodded and straightened his clothing a little. 

“Pretty good, you?”

It wasn’t a question with a simple answer for Genevieve. The fox was much altered but speaking with Tiffany had unwound a lot of knots in her and finding something she could do to help had been a relief. 

“I think so. Got a date later to look forward to, but- oop. They’re starting.”

The room seemed to spring to life all at once, like there’d been nothing in there but the two of them until suddenly they were standing at the end of a line of teachers. Victoria, Reginald, Tenebrae, and at the podium the Headmistress herself. 

“Welcome, students! Congratulations on completing Orientation. Now, if you would all please don your robes and badges.”

Nathan turned his head there, tearing it off the white furred bear speaking to rows of other young people standing in the hall. He recognized bits of the robes, not the whole things – but patches of them were definitely made of his own creation. The material he’d given over to the university. Some of the threading in the robes had the right color, the right reflective quality to it.

The right crimson glow, just as soon as all of them had them on. A pulsing rhythm, like a silent heartbeat, coming from no less than three quarters of the students out there. The sight left Nathan blinking, glancing quickly at Genevieve – who was doing much the same back to him while they both followed up by checking how the instructors were reacting. To their credit, the instructors seemed to be taking it in stride, though a glance from Veronica made it clear this was distinctly not okay.

“If you could please come this way, there is a short medical examination we need to carry out before we can show you to your dorms.”

Genevieve kept her eyes on the instructors mostly, on Victoria in particular. She watched as the headmistress turned and immediately went into what could only be called damage control mode.

“Reginald, Get the nurse up here immediately. Tenebrae bring sedatives – the strains you’ve been growing that bypass our resistance suites. Victoria, go to my office and make sure you use the special knock – fetch the student inside.”

The two made eye contact again, visibly worried. Nathan was arguing with himself about speaking, and suspected Genevieve was doing the same, when the Headmistress walked up to them and gave both students minor heart attacks as the towering white bear stood over them. The fear only slightly dissipated as she smiled.

“You two should head out, I think. I’m sorry this has turned out how it has. I can’t say it hadn’t crossed our mind, hence the precautions, but all the same. If we need your help with your respective creations, we’ll call you.”

Nathan still felt a chill through himself as he watched the bear follow the crowd of students off into another room, leaving him standing with Genevieve who he could swear was sweating gently.

“That looked very… tense. I feel like I’m missing something here.”

The pig/fox wrung her hands a little there, hesitating, taking Nathan by his wrist and tugging him out of the room with her after the delays became too much to handle. 

“It’s trouble, if it’s what I think… Come on. I’ll get you lunch and tell you more about our previous roommate, and about this nasty piece of work called Yaela.”